Her father was an alcoholic and she remembers her parents’ relationship being abusive due to her father’s drinking problems.

Last year she suffered the tragic loss of her daughter Jessie, 15, who was strangled to death by family friend Kyle Rohan Garth. Garth was sentenced to life imprisonment in September and will serve a minimum of 18 years.

"My mother left my father but was then with a man who sexually abused me as a teenager," Ms Cate said.

"I've experienced abuse all my life and so I guess I’m the best candidate to talk on the subject.